Recording apparatus.



T. D. McGALL.

RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 19, 1911.

1,081,246. Patented Dec.9,1913.

'3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII CO.,WASHINOTON. u c.

T. D. MoGALL. RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19, 1911.

3 SHEET$-SHEET 2.

1,081,246 Patented Dec. 9,1913.

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 20., WASHINGTON. n. c.

T. D. McGALL.

RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED 00T.19, 1911. 1381,21; Patented Dec.9,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n c.

THADDE'US D. McCALL, 0F IMPERIAL, CALIFORNIA.

RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Lctterslatent.

Patented Dec.9,1913.

Application filed October 19, 1911. Serial No. 655,499;

To aZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, THADDEUS D. MCCALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Imperial, in the county of Imperial and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Recording Appa1- ratus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to recording apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus and mechanism for recording the depth of flow of water at ates in irri 'ation and other distributing systems.

The invention has for its object to provide improvements in recording apparatus of the general nature stated which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction and organization, positiveness and accuracy in operation, facility in installation and control, freedom from liability to tampering with or disorganization of parts and adjustments, and durability, and which will be generally superior-in serviceability and efliciency.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel provision, construction, combination, relative arrangement and organization of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and finally pointed out in claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is an isometric view of recording apparatus constructed and organized in accordance with the invention and illustrating a utilization of the same in service; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken upon the line 22, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken upon the line 2-2, Fig. 1, in a plane of vision at an angle to that of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a detail fragmentary and enlarged view ofessential features of the construction and organization, taken upon the line d4.-, Fig. 2, andloolring in the direction of the appended arrows; F i 5 is a side elevation of certain features of the construction associated with the gate shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a modified form of a part of the construction shown in the other iig ures. Fig. 7 is a plan View showing the relative positions of the three recording mechanisms, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one of the coinpartments of the casing, showing more clearly the manner of mounting the recording means therein.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters. Referring with particularity to thedrawmgs, A designates a gate mounted for ver tical play transversely of a flume or trough or the like 13 through which, water flows, in an irrigating system or the like, the arrow at the base of the flume in Fig. l designating the direction of flow of the water.

C designates a recording means whereby the depth of water at both sides of the gate and the height of the gate are all recorded through the agencies of a record receiving member a and three record making members, (Z, 0 and f respectively. The means C are all mounted and confined within a casing D which is closed at top, bottom and all four sides with the exception of two ports or openings 7, arranged at the opposite sides of the lowerend of the rear wall 8 andcov ered by ballles 9 which deflect the flow of water through said ports, and prevent the direct introduction of any implement within the lower portion of the casing D for tampering with the means C or its connections.

The ports 7 communicate directly with the flame B, at both sides of the gate A, and communicate wlth separate compartments in the lowerand enlarged portion def the casing D, which portion is divided into said,

compartments by a vertical partition 10, upon which the record receiving member 0 is mounted, the same consisting of a suitable clock-operated disk or card which rotates at a predetermined rate. Above the casing portion (Z is arranged a norn'ially locked door 11 whereby access may be had to the recording means C and the adjuncts thereof.

The gate A is slung upon a frame I having a horizontal member 12 with which the gate directly connected, the same being braced and connected with two spaced ver tical members 1.3 and 14 respectively, one of which depends roarwardly of the rear wall 8 of the casing D, and the other of which, 13, depends within the casing D, being guided and confined by suitable keepers 14:. Connected with the frame E is an actuator w, for the record makii'ig member 6 and actuators and e are provided for the record making members (Z and respectively. Each of the actuators comprises a vertically inclined rod 15. Two of the rods 15 are connected at top and bottom by clamps 1G to vertically movable sleeves 17, and the other rod 15 is connected to the vertical member 13 of the frame E by clamps 16. The sleeves 17 are respectively mounted for vertical play in the two compartments at either side. of the partition 10, being guided by depending vertical rods 18 with which they telescope; and each of the sleeves 17 is provided at its lower end with a float 19 to be raised or lowered by and with the water in the respective compartment. Each record making member (Z, 6 and f comprises a stylus or pencil or the like which is mounted to swing in a vertical plane, in a holder 20 which is held in position of adjustment by a thumb screw 21, such holder being mounted upon a slide 22 which is bifurcated at its inner end to receive a roller 23 which co-acts with one of the inclined rods 15.

A guide 2 1 is secured to the slide 22, by a bolt and nut connection 25 and over-laps one side of the respective rod 15. A slide 26 is connected with the slide 22, pivotally, by the bolt and nut 25, upon which bolt the roller 23 is mounted. The slide 26, which is in the form of a sleeve, embraces an arm 27 secured. to the casing D, there being two opposed arms 27 and an intermediate arm 27 substantially equidistant between the other arms and projecting from the rearward wall 8 of the casing D. The other arms 27 proj ect from the side walls of said casing. Pref erably the two opposed arms 27 unite in unitary construction, as shown in the drawing. Each of the actuator rods 15 thus bears upon its separate roller 23 whereby, as the actuators are moved vertically, the slides 22 and 26 of each record making member (Z, c or f, are moved radially of the record receiving member 0.

Each of the actuator rods 15 is adjustably connected at its lower end with the respective sleeve 17 or the vertical member 13, as the case may be, by a link 15 The clamps 16 are adjustable upon the sleeves 17 and vertical member 13, and are pivotally connected with the links 15 as indicated at 16, the upper clamp 16 in each instance being pivotally connected with the respective rod 15, as indicated at 16 while the lower end of each actuator rod 15 is pivotally connected with the link 15 as indicated at 16*.

Each sleeve or slide 26 is connected with the adjacent back or side of the casing D by a contractile spring 28.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modified form of construction of an actuator, designated by r and consisting of a rod 29 which is connected with a sleeve 17 by means of the two clamps 16 and the link member 29. These two clamps 16 are adjustable up on the sleeve 17, the upper clamp 16 being pivotally con nected at 16 with the upper end of the actuator rod 29, while the lower clamp 16 is pivotally connected at 16 with the link member 29*. It will also be noted that the outer end of the link member 29 is pivotally connected at 16 to the lower end of the actuator rod 29, the various pivotal connections being identical with those previously described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention. The'actuator rod 29 is longitudinally curved, upon the theory that as the water varies in depth at either side of the gate A such depth is best recorded through an actuator so bowed from a straight line and producing a slightly modified movement of the record making member radially of the record receiving member.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improvements in recording apparatus constituting the invention, will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the following statement.

As the gate A rises and falls, and the level of the water in the compartments in the casing D rises and falls, the actuators m, y and e, or 7', rise and fall, and, playing upon the rollers 23, urge the pencils or the like (Z, c and f inwardly upon the record receiving card 0 upon which they rest, when the gate or water level is rising. When the gate or water level falls the said pencils are drawn outwardly by the springs 28. The pencils preferably make marks of different colors, and as the record receiving card is rotated irregular lines will be formed in different colors upon the card, clearly indictating, at any stage of the rotation, diurnal or otherwise, of the card, what the condition of the water level or of the gate was at such period of time. The pencils may be set by means of the holders 20 and thumbscrew 21, and either pencil or all of the pencils may be swung upwardly out of operative position upon the bolt and nut connections 25, and held in inoperative position or positions when so desired. The slides 26 move freely upon the arms 27 radially of the record receiving card.

In the use of the apparatus it is possible to accurately record the amount of water passing the gate A, at any period of time, such record being checked in three ways, namely by the height of the gate and the depth of the water at either side of the same. The apparatus is self-contained and proof against tampering, so that the party controlling the water service may set the apparatus and initiate its operation, and then lock it up until the service is discontinued and the record of the water supplied is to V be read.

it will be manifest that the apparatus is simple in its organization, and is likewise inexpensive in construction.

I do not desire to be understood as limit- .ing myself to the particular provision, con struction, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, shown and described; but reserve the right to vary the same, in adapting the improvements to varying conditions of use, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a water supply flame or the like, a vertically movable gate therein, a casing having two compartments separately conr nmnicating with the flame at either side of the gate respectively, floats in the compartments, actuators connected with the floats, a record receiving member, means for actuating the same, record making members co-acting with the record receiving member, and means whereby the actuators in their vertical movement cause the record making members to traverse the record receiving member.

2. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a water supply flume or the like, a vertically movable gate therein, a casing having two compartments separately communicating with the flume at either side of the gate respectively, floats in the compartments, actuators connected with the floats, a record receiving member, means for actuating the same, record making members coacting with the record receiving member, and means whereby the actuators in their vertical movement cause the record making members to traverse the record receiving member; said gate being provided with an actuator, a further record making member, and means whereby said last named actuator causes said last named record making memher to traverse said. record receivingmember.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a water supply l'lume or the like, a vertically movable gate therein, a casing having two con'ipartments separately communicating with the flume at either side of the gate respectively, floats in the compartnents, actuators connected with the floats, a record receiving member, means for actuating the same, record making members coacting with the record receiving member, and means whereby the actuators in their vertical movement cause the record making members to traverse the record receiving member; said actuators having vertically inclined portions; and slidable tensionally retracted mountings for said record making members.

4. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a water supply flame or the like, a vertically movable gate therein, a casing having two compartments separately com municating with the .tlume at either side of the gate respectively, floats in the compartments, actuators connected. with the floats, a record receiving member, means for actuating the same, record making members coacting with the record receiving member, and means whereby the actuators in their vertical movements cause the record making members to traverse the record receiving member; said actuators having vertically inclined portions; and slidable tensionally retracted mountings :tor said record making members; said mountings for said record making members being provided with rollers coacting with said actuators.

5. Apparatus oi' the character described, comprising a water supply flume or the like, a vertically movable gate therein, a casing having two COIIIIMLl tIHGHl/S separately communicating with the lhune at either side of the gate respectively, floats in the compartments, actuators connected with the floats, a record receiving member, means for actuating the same, record making members coacting with the record receiving member, and means whereby the actuators in their vertical movement cause the record making members to traverse the record receiving member; said compartments being provided with batlles at their points of communication with said flunle or the like and whereby the water entering said compartments is laterally deflected.

6. In apparatus oi the characterdescribed, a flume or the like for supplying water, a gate therein, a casing provided with an opening communicating with the flume at one side of the gate, a float in the casing, a stem connected with the float and guided for vertical movement, a vertically inclined actuator upon the stem, a record receiving member, means for actuating the reco d receiving member, a record making member, a slidable mounting for the record making member, said actuator bearing ope 'atively upon said moimting, and tensional means acting to retract said mounting.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a flume or the like for supplying water, a gate therein, a casing provided with an opening communicating with the flume at one side of the gate, a float in the casing, a stem connected with the float and guided for vertical movement, a vertically inclined actuator upon the stem, a record receiving member, means for actuating the record receiving member, a record making member, a slidable mounting for the record making member, said actuator bearing operatively upon said mounting, and tensional means acting to retract said mounting, said record making member comprising a pivotally mounted pencil or the like.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a flume or the like for supplying water, a gate therein, a casing provided with an opening communicating with the flume at one side of the gate, a float in the casing, a stem connected with the float and guided for vertical movement, a vertically inclined actuator upon the stem, a record receiving member, means for actuating the record receiving member, a record making member, a slidable mounting for the record making member, said actuator bearing operatively upon said mounting, and tensional means acting to retract said mounting; said mounting being provided with a roller upon which the actuator operatively bears.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a fiume or the like for supplying water, a gate therein, a casing provided with an opening communicating with the fiume at one side of the gate, a float in the casing, a vertically curved actuator connected with the float, a record receiving member, means for actuating the record receiving member, a

record making member, and means whereby the actuator in its vertical movement causes the record making member to traverse the record receiving member.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a fiulne or the like for supplying water, a gate therein, a casing provided withan opening communicating with the fiume at one side of the gate, a float in the casing, a stem connected with the float and guided for vertical movement, a vertically inclined actuator upon the stem, said actuator being adjustable whereby the angle of inclination of the same may be varied, a record receiving member, means for actuating the record receiving member, a record making member, and means whereby said actuator causes said record making member to traverse said record receiving member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed by name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THADDEUS D. MoOALL. lVitnesses:

VIo'ron R. STERLING, H. H. FISHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

